Meningitis Belt

Since the beginning of the year, more than 1,900 people in the belt have died and tens of thousands have been affected.

The sub-Saharan countries of Niger, Nigeria and Chad have been hit particularly hard these past few months.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported “…dozens of MSF teams, together with health authorities, are performing vaccination campaigns throughout these countries to reduce the impact of the epidemic. Meanwhile, other MSF teams are travelling to urban and remote health centers to collect data, review and treat patients, and donate medicines.”

Vaccination has to happen to stop this disease, but we can’t overlook the huge efforts they’re making to treat the infected. They’re succeeding and they’re saving lives. Without treatment, up to 50 percent of people infected with bacterial meningitis will die.

MSF workers deserve PKIDs’ Stamp of Excellence for their work in this outbreak.

Disclaimer

The information on PKIDs' Blog is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not meant to replace the advice of the physician who cares for you or your child. All medical advice and information should be considered to be incomplete without a physical exam, which is not possible without a visit to your doctor.